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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656197">She's Right There</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jakoby/pseuds/Jakoby'>Jakoby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Newsroom (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s02e09 Election Night Part II, F/M, Fluff, Post-Finale, Realisations, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:54:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656197</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jakoby/pseuds/Jakoby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'Has anyone seen Mac?!'</p><p>'I'm right here.'</p><p>~~~</p><p>She's right there, she's always been right there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Will McAvoy/MacKenzie McHale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Trying to avoid constantly staring at the news in early Nov 2020, I binge watched all of The Newsroom. </p><p>Mac's line, 'I'm right here' definitely feels like it meant more than just an answer to the question 'Has anyone seen Mac?'. Since the moment they ended, she's always been right there. </p><p>The result of that is this fic, probably multi-chapter but none of them are going to be very long.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He’s out of the chair and away from the desk as quickly as he can without looking like he’s running. The election coverage is going well and if he’s honest it’s starting to look like Obama has this in the bag which he’s actually ok with but dear god he needs a cigarette. Needs to get away from the woman he’s fired still being in his ear. He’s trying not to think too hard about it, the idea of her being gone which he’s wanted since she appeared whilst also dreaded at the same time. <br/>
<br/>
He’s better with her, they’re better together and they both know it. But right now, he needs to drown that all out with nicotine and later, copious amounts of whiskey. <br/>
<br/>
Back in his office he doesn’t spot Charlie for a second, but tries to listen to him as he starts talking. Jedediah Purdy and cynicism, how they’ve come a long way from what they used to be. He knows that’s all down to Mac, they both do but it remains unsaid. She makes the people around her better without even realising it. <br/>
<br/>
Then it’s Genoa. Dantana, the screw up of a senior producer who now thinks that he can shake them loose because of his wounded ego. <br/>
<br/>
“You agree with what I’m saying?”<br/>
<br/>
Charlie’s pushing him, needs him to agree. Needs Will to admit to himself that they’re in the right here and that no one can tell them otherwise, and he knows that’s what Will needs too which is why he’s pushing so hard.  <br/>
<br/>
“I believe except for the things we did wrong, we did everything right and I can’t live with Mac taking the blame for” and he trails off. All he can think of is Mac. Charlie starts talking again but Will can barely hear him. <br/>
<br/>
<em>“Sloan punching a guy in arbitrage, I actually like that one!”<br/>
<br/>
</em>That night over five years ago where she broke down trying to explain about Brenner, the tears as she bared her heart to him and told him about her mistakes and then the horror and despair in her eyes as he shut down in front of her refusing to listen. <br/>
<br/>
<em>“I can’t tell what you’re thinking.”<br/>
<br/>
</em>It’s been a long five years since that night and God help him, he’s tried to fill the void she left in his heart with work, with women and with drinking and medication but nothing’s ever helped. <br/>
<br/>
<em>“Will?<br/>
<br/>
</em>When she was by his side she was perfection, his driving force and north star. Sure they’d had arguments and problems but what couple didn’t and they always talked things through and worked them out. <br/>
<br/>
<em>“It’s gotten strange now, are you able to hear me speaking?”<br/>
<br/>
</em>Except for that last one. That last problem he didn’t give her a chance, didn’t give them a chance and he’s been punishing them both ever since. <br/>
<br/>
“She. Except for the things she did wrong, she did everything right too, the rest was me.”<br/>
<br/>
As soon as the words are out of Will’s mouth he knows what he wants, knows what he needs to do. He’s talking to Charlie but not even really aware of what’s coming out of his mouth at this point. He trails off each time he starts a sentence as he grabs the Tiffany’s box from his desk drawer and tucks it into his jacket pocket. As he leaves he tries to encourage Charlie, still not really sure what the conversation has been for the past few minutes. <br/>
<br/>
“Way to go!” <br/>
<br/>
As soon as he’s through the bullpen, walking quickly with his gaze straight ahead to avoid any eye contact from the staff, he takes off running down the corridor. He has to find her, has to tell her, there’s no avoiding this now. No pretending like she’s not in his head every second of the day when she’s not sat in his ear. But for the first time since she’s been at ACN she’s nowhere to be found. He bursts into hair and make-up, then back to her office and nothing, goes to Control and no Mac and no one seems to have any idea where she’s vanished to. <br/>
<br/>
Eventually he grits his teeth and in desperation shouts into the bullpen.</p><p>“Has anyone seen Mac?!”<br/>
<br/>
There’s a pause before her voice is there, calling back to him. <br/>
<br/>
“I’m right here” <br/>
<br/>
He turns towards her, see’s her sitting making notes for the next section at the desk and his heart almost stops there and then. <br/>
<br/>
<em>She’s right there.</em><br/>
<br/>
Where she’s been for over two years, trying to do her job around his snark and venom and distance and the endless parade of women.<br/>
<br/>
<em>She’s right there. </em><br/>
<br/>
Where she’s been trying to prove her worth to herself, to him and to the world. <br/>
<br/>
<em>She’s right there. </em><br/>
<br/>
Where she’s been camped out in his heart without even realising it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Will’s heart is racing as he makes his way around to her and the desk. He can feel his hands shaking and his breathing is uneven but as soon as he reaches her there’s a moment of calm that surrounds him and he knows what he wants to do, what he needs to do to let himself be happy. If she’ll have him. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Could you come here, away from the cameras?”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>She’s looking at him and there’s curiosity tinged with concern, he knows that his eyes are slightly wild but also that it’s not that unusual for him to be shouting for her in the bullpen especially on a broadcast like tonight. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“There’s … okay … okay … there’s a story...”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“What?” She’s sharp, knows that tonight is too important to risk something to ruin the broadcast.<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“There’s a story about a little kid,” and he can tell immediately that she’s back to concerned as he rambles through his story, trying to get through to her. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“The point of the story is that the kid could make himself happy by just stopping. I think that’s the point, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure it out.” He’s fumbling now, trying to find the words. Trying to get the box out of his pocket so that he can hold it out to her. Hold out the ring and his heart and hope that she’ll take them both. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>He takes it from the velvet and holds it up between them, eyes flicking from the diamond to her eyes. They’re as wide as his are as she stares at it. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“But, uh, I didn’t return it. Because I’m in love with you,”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>She tries to interrupt him and take back some control but he barrels on, he’s on some kind of roll now and is desperate to get the words out before his courage fails him. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“and because of … will you marry me?” <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>He can feel her emotions starting to spiral as she takes in his words and what he’s holding up in front of her. Everything from the past two years to the past two hours where she stood in visible pain as she threw back his words to him, he’s been the one to constantly and intentionally try to hurt her. He has to make her understand his heart right now. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Wait …”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“I said will you marry me, and before that I said I’m in love with you.” and without realising it he’s off, with rambling words and thoughts and just putting his heart out for her to accept if she can. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“That’s, that’s … that’s what I’m getting at. I feel like I can do this so much better if I can have a second …”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“What in the fuck is happening right now?!” She’s close to hysterical now, and he’s got to bring her back, he’s got to be honest with her.<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“If … If I … I don’t ever want to not be … No. I love you. I’m gonna go back to that, and will you marry me. And let me just say, I really think you should. I think you should say yes. But no matter what you say, there’s no chance I am ever gonna hurt you again. And no matter what you say, I’m gonna be in love with you for the rest of my life. There’s no way out of that, that’s just a physical law of the universe. You own me. No matter what you say …” and then suddenly he hears the one word that stops him in his tracks. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yes”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“... I will never stop …”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yes, I’m saying yes.” <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>There’s a fraction of a second where Will’s not sure if he’s heard her right. Is it possible that the past five years of pain, and loneliness and longing are solved by that one word?<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“You’re saying yes?” and immediately it’s his Mac in front of him again, the Mac that’s been missing from his life since he threw her out of it. Her face has grown into the smile that brought so much joy and happiness to his days and there’s so much love in her eyes that he can’t quite believe he’s here in this moment with her. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yes.” She’s laughing now, and he doesn’t think she understands the fear he’d kept inside that maybe she didn’t or couldn’t ever love him again. But as she stands in front of him he feels the last of the walls he carefully built up around him crumble away. He’s hers, and he will always be hers. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Thank God.” <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>Will’s hesitant for a heartbeat before reaching to pull her into his arms and then his lips are on hers and it’s like he’s come home. Kissing MacKenzie was always his favourite thing to do, lazy afternoons on the couch or mornings in bed just tangled up in each other and kissing. She’s soft and sweet and as her arms come around him Will just melts into her. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>Mac breaks the kiss briefly and looking up into his eyes sneaks in some sass.<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Took you long enough.”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>He’s laughing as he responds. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Seriously? That’s what you’re …”<br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Shut it” and she’s kissing him again. Her arms come up to circle around him and pull him as close as she can and whilst it’s cliche the world just fades away around them. He backs her up slowly to the wall behind them and loses himself in kissing her and the feel of her against him again. <br/>
<br/>
</span>
  <span>Eventually they break apart and stand with their foreheads together just taking in the moment together. Will gently takes her hand and places the ring on her finger, his hands still shaking and Mac closes hers around his as she reaches up to kiss him gently again. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>“It’s always been you Will” she breathes softly and he takes her back into his arms just to hold her for another moment. She fits into him as perfectly as she remembers, tucked under his chin even in her heels. He knows that there’s only about three minutes left until they come back so he takes her hand and leads her out from the studio. They step back into the bullpen together and she’s right there, Will glances at her before taking a breath and knows that his future has never been brighter. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They stand together looking out at their family and Will’s surprised to see even Rebecca, Leona and Reese are here. They fight with each other but they’re still part of the family here. There’s stunned silence as he tries to introduce Mac, laughing with her at the idea of ‘MacKenzie Morgan McHale McAvoy’ on her driver’s ID but almost unanimously the entire room erupts in cheers. Maggie immediately leaps onto Mac and crushes her in a hug and Will moves through the room in a daze shaking hands and high fiving anyone who comes up to him. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>It’s only when someone from control shouts “60 seconds back!” into the bullpen that people scatter back to their desks. Mac grabs Will’s hand and pulls him towards her for a searing kiss before dashing back to control and shoving him back into the studio. For the next hour there are cigars, champagne bottles being popped and countless well wishes from the team. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Will is relaxed and on fire for the next hour that they have to broadcast before handing over to the D.C. studio and in each break he alternates grinning like an idiot as Sloan tries to grill him for info and staring into the camera as Mac murmur’s to him. He’s only half listening to the words she’s saying and she knows it but she’s just as dazed as he is, staring into his eyes and wondering how on earth she got from being fired from a job she adores to being engaged to the love of her life. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Once they’re finally off the air, the control room slowly empties around her. Mac is taking her time to detach herself from the mic pack and wires, choosing to put it all away herself instead of just handing it off to an intern to sort. Jim’s the only one left in the room with her and he takes it out of her hands, replacing it with another glass of champagne. She sits on the edge of a desk and watches him move around the room checking that everything’s shut off before coming back to her and enveloping her in a long hug. She leans into him, the boy that became a man right under her nose, the friend who ran into fire with her by heading out to embed together, the friend who covered for her and pulled her out of Islamabad when it got bad. They’ve been through countless horrors and highs together and she firmly believes that she wouldn’t be here right now if not for him. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“Congratulations Mac.” he whispers into her ear. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Jim knows that when it comes down to it, Mac has always been Will’s. He might hate the man for what he’s been like over the past few years and how it’s affected Mac but he knows that ultimately they belong together. He’ll hold off on his talk with Will for a few days, he might be smaller and lighter but he learnt a thing or two from the marines they were stationed with and he’s not afraid to use it if it comes to knocking Will down. But he doesn’t think it will, he can see the way Will looks tonight, like he can’t believe what’s happening is actually real, and the look on his face when he’s looking at Mac is nothing short of adoration. So Jim is prepared to let him off the hook now that he’s finally done something about the shitty situation they were both in. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>They break apart and Jim pushes her towards the doors. She goes without argument, there’s only one place she wants to be. Will is already back in his office and changed out of his suit, Jenna has surprised him with a hug as she came to collect it and he stops her before she leaves. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“I’m glad you came here, you’re a part of our family now.” <br/><br/></span>
  <span>The words surprise her, he’s not the most free with praise especially with the interns and with the rest of the emotions flying around it’s enough to bring her to tears. She smiles at him as she leaves, hugging Mac fiercely as they pass in the doorway. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“Everything ok?” she asks as she moves quickly towards him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. His arms come up to encircle her and for a moment he just stands there, so very grateful that he can hold her again. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“Everything’s great.” he replies into her hair, breathing her in and relishing in the feel of her body against his. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure I’ve spoken to everyone on this floor, including some people I’ve never met and I’m also pretty sure that Leona’s high.” <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Will grins at this, he knows Leona’s partiality to pot and it doesn’t surprise him that she’s partly baked tonight with everything going on. He steps back to look Mac in the eye. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“Can we go home? Will you let me take you home, Mac?” <br/><br/></span>
  <span>For the first time all night Mac’s eyes fill with tears as she hears the words that mean everything. She’s missed him so much and now she never has to be apart from him again. She nods firmly, dashing the tears away with the back of her hand. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“Meet you by the elevators in five?”<br/><br/></span>
  <span>He nods and she leaves to grab her go bag which has lived in her office since starting as Will’s EP but she never really thought would be put to this use. It takes a while for them both to make their way back through the bullpen, people wanting second or third congratulations and Charlie is there by the door as they approach. He pulls them both into a huge hug and pushes them past him, ready to intercept anyone else who wants either of them. For a night, he’s their Don Quixote, ever the chivalrous knight protecting those in need. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>The minute that the elevator doors close behind them, Mac is back in Will’s arms and they just stand there for the sixty seconds that it takes for them to get down to the ground floor. Once outside the building there’s the usual gang of reporters and fans but they head through them easily, most are overjoyed at Obama’s win and their efforts to get Will’s attention are half hearted. He gives some handshakes and takes a selfie with a couple and then he’s ushering Mac into a cab and giving the driver his address. In the dark of the cab she reaches for his hand and then just sits gazing out at the city as it goes by. Mac’s always loved New York and he’s content with holding her hand. The only attention she seems to give is her thumb drawing patterns gently on the back of his hand but he knows she’s as overwhelmed with this as he is and he gives her space. He spends the entire journey staring at her, mapping her face in his mind until every minute detail is memorised. He’s spent two years not allowing himself to look at her for too long and now he’s taking every chance he can get to have her fill his gaze. She’s beautiful. She was always beautiful but there’s something more now that she didn’t have before. A fierceness she didn’t have before which backs up the sass and fight that she gives out and it makes her glow.<br/><br/></span>
  <span>Finally after a too long cab journey they arrive at his building. Will gets out and offers his hand to her, she takes it and steps out of the cab, smiling at him. He’d do anything for her, and he means to show her in every way that he can that he’s hers. That he’s always going to be there for her. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Once they get into the elevator and the doors shut he’s still staring at her with a dazed expression, but that gets quickly cut off as Mac closes the gap between them. She reaches up a hand to his face, thumb stroking gently across his cheek before sliding around his neck and drawing him into a kiss. Immediately his hands are on her waist and she deepens it, tongue sliding against his own and they drown in each other. Somehow they manage to make it from the elevator into his apartment and then to the bedroom although he doesn’t remember much of either journey, he just knows that Mac’s in his arms and they’ve both come home in every sense of the word. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>The break apart finally once they’re finally in the bedroom and he sits down on the bed, without her Louboutin’s which he assumes are somewhere in the apartment, she’s a good five inches shorter than him. She stands there, staring at him, a soft smile on her face as she takes him in properly. As if she’s seeing him properly for the first time all evening and he thinks that’s probably the case. <br/><br/></span>
  <span>“I love you Billy.” she says, stepping back into his arms and holding him close. “I’ve never stopped loving you.” <br/><br/></span>
  <span>Will could feel hot tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He knew or rather he hoped that her saying yes meant that he was still in her heart, even after everything he’d put her through and hearing the words somehow made everything else about the night feel more real. He lay back onto the bed pulling her with him and she immediately nestled into his chest, reclaiming the space that had always been hers and listening to his steady heartbeat beneath her. His arms came around her and they lay there together. Finally back where they both belonged. </span><br/><br/>
  <span>Finally, they were both right there, and they never wanted to leave. </span>
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